Stabilizing device



Oct. 30, 1928. 1,689,722'

- H. o. HEM

STABILI ZING DEVICE Filed Dec. 29. 192 4 z Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 30, 1928.

1,689,722 H. o. HEM

BILIZING DEVICE Filed Dec. 29, 1924 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6130: we qPatented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES HALVOR O. HEM, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO TOLEDO SCALECOMPANY, OF TOLEDO, v

1,689,722 PATENT OFFICE.

OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STABILIZING DEVICE.

Application filed December 29, 1924. Serial No. 258,582.

This invention relates to weighing scales,

and one of its principal objects is to improve themeans employed forstabilizing pivotally mounted members such as the means for preventingthe platform from tilting ortipping when a load is placed adjacent oneof its Another object of the invention IS the provision of a stabilizingmechanism employ ng a check linkwhichmay be either in tension orcompression, butin either case a knife edge contact is had between theparts so that friction is reduced to; a minimum.

Still another object is the provision of a device of thischaracter whichmay be economicallymanufactured and; readily assembled in the scale andwhich may be easily and accurately adjusted. 7

Other objects and advantages w 111 be apparent from the followingdescription, in

which referenceis had to the accompanying drawings illustratingpreferred embodiments of my invention and wherein similar referencenumerals I designate similar parts throughout the several views. r

In the drawings Figure I is a front elevational v1ew of a scaleembodyingone form of my invention, parts being broken away in order thatthe platform stabilizing mechanism may be clearly shown. t j

Figure II is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a portion of the checklink mecha- IllSIIl' Fig ure III is a side elevational view of the partsshown in Figure II; I

Figure IV is a plan view of the parts illustrated in Figure II; t

Figure. V is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the lineVV of Figure I,illustrating the knife edge connection;

Figure VI is an isometric perspective view of a portion of the spiderstem to which the link is attached; I

Figure VII is a fIOIltClBVtLtlOIlfll view 'of another form of scaleknown as a heavy capacity type, to which my invention has provenapplicable; and

Figure VIII is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially011 the line VIII-VIII of Figure VII.

The scale illustrated in F igureI is of the well known automatic fantype having a base 1 upon one end of which is mounted an upright housing2, the upper portion being i of substantially fan shape.

, stem 11.

scale the platformlever 3 is fulcrumed on suitable bearings carried, bya base horn-f4 also mounted upon the base 1. One end of the lever 3projects into the housing 2 and is connectedto any suitable loadoffsetting mechanism, to which is connected an indicating hand 6 whichswings over achart located in the fan-shaped portion of the housing toindicate the amount of weight upon the scale platform. Mounted upon thepivots 7 carried by the lever 3 is a platform supporting spider 8whichsupports a platform orcommodity receiver 9. The spider 8 isprovided with a downwardly extending spider stem 11, the lower end ofwhich is formed with a pair of oppositely disposed V-groove channels, asmore particularly shown in Figure VI. Fixed to thebase 1 is a post ormember 12, the upper portion of which is threaded to receive a pair ofnuts 13 which serve to secure the post '12 to the base, the lower partof the post being formed with V-groove channels substantiallg like thelower end of the spider openings 15, certain edges of which are beveledoff to form the knife edges 16 and 17. The spider stem ll and post 12are adapted to pro ect into the openings 15of the link '14, therespective faces of the grooved por- In the operation of the device aload placed in the center of the platform will not exert any appreciableforce whatever on the link 14. However, if a load be placed adjacent oneedge of the platform-for example, position Athe link 14 ,will be placedunder compressioni. e, the knife edges 16 will be brought intoengagement with certain'walls of the channels in the posts 11 and 12. Ifa load be placed in position B on the platform, the link 14 is placedunder tension and the knife edges 1? brought to bear against certainwalls of the channeled members, and tipping of the platform prevented.It will be apparent that such a checking means for a scale platform isvery eflicient, as the knife edges provide comparatively long bearing Inthis type of connecting link or plate 14 is provided with a plurality ofperforations or' means of a pair of collars 20 which 7 .ing; the normal:capacity. of the scale.

surfaces, thus tendingto eliminate wear of the parts and obviateconsequent inaccuracies in the mechanism.

It will also be aparent that the device of my invention, because of itslong knife ed 'es, is particularly adapted for use in structmfes inwhich the checking arrangement is some times subjected to excessiveforces and where a substantially frictionless link is requi ite to thesuccessful operation of the mechanism. To this end I have also shown mydevice incorporated in a scale of the heavy. capaci y type, whichconstruction will now be scribed.

The scale consists substantially of a base and platform mechanism (notshown), anc erected upon the base is a rectangular h ing 26 which issuri'nounted by a watchi. shaped casing 27, the latter adapted to houseand support the automatic load-comrterbal ancing and indicatingmechanism 28, which, per se, forms nopart of the present invention andwill not therefore be described in detail. Supportedwithinthe housing isa main lever 30 which is connectedito the platform lever mechanism andautomatic load-counterbalancing mechanismiby means of links 31 and 32,the lever being provided wit-h beams 33 which areequipped with poises 3%for increas- In order to -further increase thecapaoity of the scale itis a usual practice to provide a plurality. of unit weights 36 normallysupported;

from a pair of bars 37 connected to an operating handle 38, the weightsadapted to be deposited upon a disk 39 connected by means of a rod 40 toone end of the lever 30. By movingthe handle 38to the proper position,

any desired number of the unit weights 36 ma be brou 'ht into active. ena ement with D 33 h the disk 39, thus effectively changing the capacityof the scale.

In order to prevent undue oscillations of" the disk 39 andassociated.mechanism when a the unit weights are depositedupon the diskit; is necessary to provide a checking means capableof withstanding theabuseto which such devices are usually subjected when operated byinexperienced laymen. The device of my invention lends itselfparticularly well to such use, and consists of a triangular shapedmember 41, the apices or corners of which are provided withcomparatively small rectangular plates 42 and 4:3 fixed a thereto bymeans of screws 4st. These plates are provided with openings havingknife edges similar to those in the link 14 shown in Figure V andhereinbefore described. A. bracket 45 fixed to the base plate of the hois ing 26 is provided with channeled projections 46 which are adapted tobe received into the openings in the plates 42, and the lower e}:-tremity of the rodlO is channeled and adapt.- ed'to be received. intothe opening in the plate 43.

'to thedistance between-the fulcrum pivotofthe lever 30andthe pivot 47,the unit weights in engagement with the disk 39 will move vertically.throughout weighing movements. It is obvious that the unit Weightcapacity increasing device when operated by inexperienced laymen isliable to be the subject of excessive abuseanda checking arrangementconstructed in the manner described having'long knife edge bearings willmaterially prolong the life and accuracy'of this mechanism;

The embodiments of my invention herein shown and described are to beregarded as illustrative only, and it lstobe-understood that theinvention is s-usceptlbleto variation,

modification and change withinthe spirit and scope of the subj oinedclaims.

Having described my invention, 1 claim: 1. In a device of the classdescribed; in combination, a frame, a leverfulcrumed upon said frame,said lever'having'a load pivot, a commodity receiver supported uponsaidload pivot, an armconnected to the com modity recelver and having agrooved per-- tion, a grooved portion camied'by the frame, and a linkCOIIIIGCi/IDg'SELId grooved portions having knife edges contacting thefaces of said grooves at substantially right anglestothe lines ofextenslon' of said grooves, the

axes-of the pivotal connections between said link, the arm and frame andthe load and-ful crum pivots of said leverbeing in parallelogrammaticrelation. 3

2. In a pivotal joint, a fixed. member, a movable-member, each of saidmembers hav-- ing opposed channels therein,- a wall of one: channelbeing in the same plane with a wall of the opposite channel, and alink-having perforations therein adapted 1 to connect said members, saidperforations having edges which contact with certainwalls of the membersto form a push and pull connection.

In apivotal joint, a pair of members,

each having a pair of oppositely disposed channels, and a link havingperforations therein adapted. to connect said members,

certain edges of said perforations being in the form of aligned knifeedges and-adapted to engage walls of: the channels in said mem bers.

4. In a device of the class described, in

combination, a fixed member, a movable member, each of said membersbeing. in. the form of a rod having channels extending. along itsopposite sides inwardly from one of its ends-,.one wall of each ofsaidchannelslying in substantially the same plancwitha wallof the othersaid channel, a. link connecting said members, said link. having anopening. in each. of its ends, each opening being provided with apair:off oppositely'di- Ill) rected substantially aligned knife edges, theopenings receiving said members with their knife edges adapted to engagethe uniplanar walls of the channels, and means for positioning said linklongitudinally'of said members, consisting of collars adjustably mountedon said members, said collars having ends formed into peaks and adaptedto engage said link substantially in alignment with said knife edges.

5. In a device of the class described, 7 in combination, a fixed member,a movable member, each of said members being in the form of a rod havingchannels extending along its opposite sides inwardly from one of itsends, one Wall of each of said channels lying in substantially the sameplane with a wall of the other said channel, and a link connecting saidmembers, said link having an opening in each of its ends, each openingbeing providedwith a pair of o positely directed substantially alignedkni e edges, the openings receiving said members with their knife edgesengaging the uniplanar walls of the channels.

6. In a pivotalconnection, in combination, an elongated member havingoppositely disposed longitudinally extending channels, a wall of one ofsaid channels lying in substantially the same plane with a wall of theother of said channels, and a member having an opening receiving saidelongated member, said opening having aligned oppositely directed knifeedges engaging the uniplanar walls of said channels.

HALVOR O. HEM.

